Payton’s place back between the pipes for WHL Giants

Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun03.26.2014

Vancouver Giants goaltender Payton Lee has faced 88 shots in two playoff games against the high-flying Portland Winterhawks, and while the Giants lost both contests the 17-year-old sophomore netminder has been a standout in the WHL post-season.

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VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Giants have been seeking a long-term solution to their goaltending issues pretty much since Memorial Cup winner Tyson Sexsmith finished his four-year run with the Western Hockey League team in 2009.

Payton Lee is providing some hope in the playoffs of 2013-14. The 17-year-old kid from Cranbrook hasn't been able to beat the heavily favoured Portland Winterhawks, not yet anyway, but he's at least giving the Giants a chance. That's pretty much all you can ask from a goalie when your team is outshot 88-31 in 4-3 and 3-0 road losses to open the best-of-seven first-round series.

The scene now shifts to Pacific Coliseum for Game 3 Tuesday night. Game 4 goes on Wednesday (both faceoffs at 7 p.m., on Team 1410 radio).

“Payton's play has been really positive,” Giants head coach Don Hay noted Monday following practice at the Coliseum. “He has played very well for us and it's a shame we haven't been able to get him a win. We feel Payton is on a little bit of a roll right now. He's got great focus and a great compete level and those are two things that maybe have been in and out in his game.”

A second-round bantam draft pick in 2011, Lee was anointed Giants “goalie of the future,” which often can often be a kiss of death. He struggled through his 16-year-old season but the Giants struggled as a team and finished dead last in the 22-team league.

This season, Lee began in the No. 1 role and then lost it mid-season to Jared Rathjen. It was a humbling experience for Lee. Rathjen, 19, was supposed to be the support guy and backup, not the main man. But injuries derailed Rathjen and Lee was able to again seize the role.

“I think when you're threatened a little bit, you dig in and he definitely dug in,” said Hay. “I think it was a good threat by Jared. It helped push the goaltenders into a competitive environment. So maybe that was missing a little bit and Payton has responded really well.

“He finished the regular season strong and he was very competitive in some games that we won and some games that we lost. And he's been very competitive here against Portland. So I think that should really give him a lot of confidence. You hope that he'll carry the confidence he gains here into next season and the season after that.”

The Giants have made no secret they plan to bid for the 2016 Memorial Cup. Among the criteria for a winning bid is to have a winning team – and winning teams need top-flight goaltending.

“Sure, these playoffs are going to help Payton in the long run but we're not even thinking about the Memorial Cup,” Hay said. “Obviously we're just thinking about getting a win here.”

Lee admits that taking a back seat to Rathjen for parts of the season wasn't easy to swallow. He's in his NHL draft year and being relegated to second banana doesn't enhance anyone's chances. He tried to make the best of the situation. Lee finished the regular season with a 19-20-3-3 record, a 3.44 goals against average and .881 save percentage.

“Obviously everybody wants to play,” Lee said. “Jared and I, we're both capable and it's definitely healthy when you have two guys that can push each other. At the same time, you definitely want to be getting the starts. But, honestly, it was probably beneficial for my development to get that extra practice time. When I wasn't playing, I got in some time with Eli (Wilson), our goalie coach.

“He understands what Jared needs and he understands what I need and, for me, it was probably settling down a little bit and not doing too much. He's definitely helped me there.”

Playing the Winterhawks, who have four Canadian world juniors in their lineup, is not something easily created in practice. Portland is also the defending WHL playoff champion and the league's highest scoring team in 17 years. No matter how the series turns out, the lessons learned should be vital ones for Lee and his teammates.

“For sure, this series will help my growth as a player but it will help all the young guys,” he said. “To face a good team like Portland, especially in the post-season, is a great experience for everybody.”

G-NOTES: Giants rookie winger Ty Ronning, who missed the first two games of the series due to illness, is ready to return ... Rathjen was unable to practise Monday after being hit in the face with a puck while on the bench during Saturday's 3-0 loss.

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Payton’s place back between the pipes for WHL Giants

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